Common commercial roof problems may occur with any building. Most of the time, the issues that arise are preventable with a little bit of planning. Over time, there are a few factors that might influence the service life of a roof. Some of these include the design and quality of the roof installation, the products that are used for the roof, abuse, maintenance, and weather. Here are ten common commercial roof problems that occur, but can be dealt with quickly through planning and quality work.
Common Commercial Roof Problems in Nebraska & Iowa
Leaks
Owning a commercial building means that you are likely to deal with leaks from time to time. If the roof starts leaking, it can be a significant problem. One of the ways to avoid leaking is to make sure that you have a proactive roof inspection and preventative maintenance program in place. This will help you keep ahead of any major issues and reduce the chances of interior water becoming a problem.
Poor Installation
When the roof is not correctly installed, it can lead to many different problems. Poor quality is one of the main issues found in commercial buildings. Make sure that the workmanship is inspected when the building is being put up. If you are purchasing a building, make sure that the roof is checked before your purchase. If the roof of the building is improperly installed, it can reduce the life expectance and cause many problems with the building.
Tenting, Billowing, and Blow-Offs
When a commercial roof is not correctly adhered to the substrate, it may tent, billow, or even blow all the way off. If your commercial building has a single-ply roof, there is a higher chance of it blowing off. When installing a new roof, ask the contractor to provide you with proper building codes for the area that your building is in. These codes will help you determine the best type of roof to install.
Lack of Maintenance
Neglecting a roof is easy to do, especially if you do not see any issues with it. However, having routine inspections done is essential for both safety and financial reasons. Setting up a proactive maintenance schedule for your roof can go a long way in avoiding issues becoming more significant and more expensive to fix.
Ponding Water
According to the National Roofing Contractors Association, ponding water is any undesirable water that stands for longer than two days. However, standing water can cause damage long before that. The problem that occurs when water stands on a roof is that even if it is only an inch deep, it weighs a lot. This weight load on the flat roof might cause it to collapse eventually. Make sure to watch for standing water and to find proper drainage systems to ensure that a roof leak or collapse does not become an issue.
Poor Repairs
When roof repairs are done, the appropriate equipment and materials must be used. Often, when repairs are made, materials that are not supposed to be used on certain types of roofs are used. Improper repairs might cause even more damage to the roof.
Shrinkage
Often, a single-ply roof will be installed on a commercial building. These roofs are a bit unique. When you walk out on them, one of the things that you should look for is any evidence of shrinkage. Flashings that pull away from the wall and cracking of the membranes are quite standard on these types of roofs. It is essential to make sure that you are checking your roof out regularly for these types of issues and have any damage repaired as soon as possible. These are just a few of the issues that you might find with the roof of your commercial building.
Proper maintenance can go a long way in ensuring the longevity of your roof. Most of the more significant issues that you find with these types of roofs can be easily fixed. If you fail to keep up with repairs and maintenance of your roof, you can expect to have problems that occur over the lifetime of the roof. One of the most important things that you can do is to make sure the roof is installed correctly in the first place.
Call Us Today
If you are in need of roofing, windows, siding or gutter work, please contact us today and set up an appointment with our Omaha commercial roofing professionals. McKinnis is safely serving the Blair, Omaha, and Lincoln areas, and we would be happy to help you with your next home exterior project!